Guia de Status
Prefácio A Camarilla é uma sociedade de predadores. Ao passo que a Torre de Marfim adere a certos códigos de conduta e garante certas regras sociais, os Membros da Camarilla são criaturas de intrigas e de manobras sociais maquiavélicas. O sorriso mais doce e a palavra mais suave pode esconder um motivo obscuro, e novatos à sociedade podem ser especialmente sábios em se manter vigilantes, e não apenas para ameaças físicas. Alguns Membros têm enorme prazer em arruinar a reputação de outros, tomando parte em cruéis jogos sociais como uma forma de passar os anos sem fim. Em outras palavras, Vampiros são sorrateiros (Sneaky). A interação social entre Membros da Camarilla, tanto local como internacionalmente, forma a maior parte da história em uma crônica OWBN. O OWBN Status Packet (Este documento) é projetado para ajudar os jogadores e narradores que participam do universo OWBN a entender este complicado aspecto do jogo. Status: Uma Introdução O Status define o nível de respeito social ou renome dentro da sociedade da Camarilla. Ele determina o peso que a as palavras de um Membro devem receber, e é a base para a ordem social. A Camarilla foi criada em um tempo em que a hierarquia social era muito importante, e o fluir de sua reputação tem efeitos sérios na vida de uma personahem mesmo nas noites modernas. Dentro do jogo, Status toma a forma de um “curriculum” de adjetivos que definem o personagem, nível e posição na Camarilla Funcionalmente, aqueles com mais Status são considerados de nível maior. Eles podem exigir respeito ou mesmo ignorar abertamente aqueles com menos Status que eles. Se há uma disputa entre Membros e não há provas específicas, o Status é normalmente o fator decisivo para determinar quem está certo e quem está errado – ou pelo menos quem tem a última palavra. * Dica Sneaky Bastard: Status é tudo na Camarilla. Quem tem manda, quem não tem obedece (se tem juízo). Contudo, quanto mais status você tem, mais será esperado de você. Pequenos deslizes que são perdoados em neófitos apenas reconhecidos não são relevados para alguém com 5 de status. Pense nisso antes de vender a sua alma por aquele tão almejado traço de status. * Traços comuns de Status na Camarilla: Reconhecido, Admirado, Adorado, Querido, Estimado, Exaltado, Famoso, Irrepreensível, Temido, Honrado, Influente, Justo, Glorificado, Respeitado, Reverenciado, Confiável, Bem-Conetado e Bem-Conhecido. Outros adjetivos podem ser usados, mas os jogadores devem evitar ser muito engraçadinhos: “Estúpido” não é um traço de Status apropriado. Palavrões e gíria comum nunca são traços de Status apropriados. Favor notar: Pelas regras (bylaws) do OWBN, um personagem pode ter apenas 6 traços de Status pessoal, além do Status posicional que detenha em função de um cargo na Camarilla. Personagens só podem ganhar o sétimo traço (ou acima) de Status Pessoal através de uma votação no OWBN Council. Se o sétimo traço for permitido, ele funciona exatamente igual a qualquer outro, e pode ser tirado segundo a vontade das Harpias. Se qualquer Status é perdido, outra votação será necessária para elevar novamente o Personagem acima do limite de 6 traços. Sendo Reconhecido Reconhecido é sempre o primeiro traço de Status dado a um membro da Camarilla, e é sempre o último a ser removido em casos de Escândalo ou crime. Um Membro é, normalmente, reconhecido apenas uma vez, a menos que sofram a extrema humilhação de terem esse Status retirado por engano. O Reconhecimento não deve ser confundido com a Tradição da Hospitalidade, que um Membro deve receber do Príncipe de qualquer Domínio em que queira entrar. Sem Hospitalidade, um Membro não pode reclamar qualquer de seus Status enquanto estiver naquele domínio, e poucos Príncipes darão Hospitalidade a algém que tenha de alguma forma perdido seu Reconhecimento. Um Membro que perca seu reconhecimento está à mercê do Algoz. Até que um vampiro receba o Reconhecimento, ele não tem Status. Um Príncipe pode decidir como conceder o Reconhecimento em seu próprio Domínio como achar melhor, dentro do formato geral. A Tradição da Responsabilidade Durante a Responsabilidade, qualquer crime cometido pela Criança recai sobre seu Senhor, que deve responder pelos malfeitos de sua progênie. A Criança não tem direitos enquanto sob a Responsabilidade – um Senhor pode matar sua criança à vontade, sem sofrer qualquer pena, a menos que o Príncipe tenha feito regras específicas em contrário. Até que uma Criança seja Reconhecida, ela não é considerada uma pessoa para a Camarilla. Uma Criança fica sob a Responsabilidade até que seu Senhor entenda que ela está pronta a ser apresentada. Nesse ponto, é arranjado um encontro com o Primogen do clã, de forma a avaliar e testar o neófito. Se aceitar que a Criança está pronta, o Primogen organiza então um encontro com o Príncipe para a apresentação final. O Príncipe pode decidir fazer seus próprios testes, ou aceitar a avaliação do Primogen. Se não há um Primogen daquele clã, o Senhor pode levar a Criança ao Senescal, que irá então organizar a reunião com o Príncipe. As especificidades da Apresentação variam de Domínio a Domínio. Quando um vampiro é Reconhecido, ele tem seu primeiro traço de Status e passa a ser responsável pelas próprias ações, além de se esperar que ele mantenha as Tradições da Camarilla. Jogadores devem considerar como foi o período que seu personagem passou quando sob a Responsabilidade, e como é a relação do personagem com seu Senhor. Alguns jogadores podem escolher por começar sob Responsabilidade, e Abraços dentro do jogo devem sempre incluir um período de Responsabilidade. O período de Responsabilidade deve ser interpretado entre o Senhor e sua Criança por um período substancial de tempo – pelo menos 6 meses de tempo-real de jogo. Começando com o Reconhecido O Reconhecimento é gratuito na criação de personagens. Status adicionais podem ser adquiridos de acordo com as House-rules do jogo, até um máximo de três. (Reconhecimento gratuito, mais no máximo dois traços adicionais, comprados por no mínimo 1 ponto de experiência cada. Narradores são livres para colocar custos adicionais). Modificadores de Status, como Reputação ou Senhor de Prestígio não afetam esse limite, mas devem ser registrados e/ou aprovados pelo Coordenador Camarilla antes de entrarem em jogo (Veja a seção apropriada). É fortemente aconselhado a Narradores e Jogadores que os personagens façam por merecer cada um de seus Status através do curso do jogo. As restrições delineadas acima são feitas para prevenir abusos, não para recomendar a compra de Status na criação do personagem. Retirando o Reconhecimento O Reconhecimento pode ser retirado da mesma forma que qualquer outro traço de Status pessoal, embora as repercussões sejam mais graves. Usualmente, apenas Príncipes retiram o Reconhecimento, e tão logo esse Status é perdido, o Membro desafortunado está à mercê do Algoz até que encontre outro Príncipe para reconhecê-lo novamente. Muitos Príncipes vão considerar a retirada do Reconhecimento de alguém de seus domínios por alguém de fora como uma quebra da Tradição do Domínio e reagir de acordo. Reconhecimento deve ser sempre o último traço de Status a ser removido. Se o Membro em questão detiver algum cargo com Status, os traços posicionais devem ser removidos temporariamente, antes de ser possível a remoção permanente do Reconhecimento. Uma vez sem o Reconhecimento, nenhum cargo da Camarilla pode ser ocupado, até que se reganhe o Reconhecimento. Novos Períodos de Responsabilidade Colocar um Membro que já foi Reconhecido novamente sob a Responsabilidade é uma desgraça séria tanto para a Criança quanto para seu Senhor. Isso não deve ser uma prática usual, e pode resultar na desvantagem Notoriedade para um ou ambos os personagens, e a vergonha disso deve ser quase insuportável. A Responsabilidade é uma das Tradições, no fim das contas. A Camarilla não é conhecida por ser generosa com segundas chances. A Natureza Pública do Status Jogadores devem manter registro de seu Status permanente em suas fichas de personagem. Informação a respeito de quem concedeu o Traço, por que foi concedido e qual foi o adjetivo são comumente requisitadas através do uso da habilidade Política. Alguém interpretando uma Harpia provavelmente manterá algum tipo de registro (em qualquer meio que o personagem usaria) ou investirá em um alto nível nessa habilidade, de forma a produzir a informação sobre os membros de seu domínio quando necessário. Concessão e remoção de Traços de Status Anúncios de concessão ou perda de Status devem ser feitos publicamente, seja numa assembléia reunida (usualmente um live) ou por e-mail anunciando numa lista pública (nacional ou local). Isso deve ser sempre registrado com a Harpia do domínio de residência do indivíduo que está ganhando ou perdendo esse Status. Se os motivos para a concessão ou remoção dos Traços de Status forem questionados, a Harpia pode iniciar uma investigação. A Harpia tem o poder de retirar o Status concedido, bem como um Traço de Status de quem fez a concessão, se o intercâmbio for visto como Escandaloso. Tal ação provavelmente deixará ambas as partes gravemente ofendidas, mas se a Harpia entender que o Status não é merecido, ela pode interromper o processo e punir todos os envolvidos. Postando Status Postar Status em um email ou carta deve seguir um dos seguintes formatos: Zé da Silva, Xerife de Cabrobró Status: 3 OU Zé da Silva, Xerife de Cabrobró Status: Reconhecido, Admirado, Temido OU Zé da Silva, Xerife de Cabrobró Reconhecido pelo Príncipe Blah Admirado pelo Primogen Fulano Temido por sua Posição Habilidade Política em Listas Um Membro não é obrigado a postar seu status publicamente. De fato, fazer isso é o equivalente social a bater os pés – atrai atenção para seu nome e posição, demandando reconhecimento. Se um Membro não incluir seus Status, qualquer um que veja a carta e tenha a habilidade Política pode gastar um traço, conforme o LotNR, para determinar esses Status. Funcionalmente, qualquer um gastando a habilidade Política para obter os Status de outro personagem deve fazê-lo por e-mail privativo. Algumas crônicas exigem que tais e-mails sejam copiados para seus STs, então por favor verifique as regras da casa. Se por qualquer razão um jogador se recusar a responder pedidos sobre os Status de seu personagem, um email pode ser enviado para owbnmoderator@yahoo.com para solicitar ajuda de um Moderador. Em termos de mecânica IC, usar a habilidade Política representa uma verificação com seus contatos ou a lembrança de algo que você ouviu anos antes, não é uma enciclopédia mágica em sua cabeça. Ela representa o conhecimento que alguns personagens possuem por se esforçar para “ficar sabendo” os termos do redemoinho social. A habilidade Política no OWBN lhe dá as seguintes informações: * Numero de Traços de Status (“Zé Brujah tem 4 Status”) * Nomes (Adjetivos) dos Traços de Status (“Zé Brujah é Reconhecido, Respeitado, Temido e Leal) * Membro que concedeu os Traços (“Zé Brujah foi reconhecido por João Ventrue, etc) * Razão pela qual os status foram dados (“Zé Brujah é Respeitado por defender os Domínios contra caçadores”) O nível de Política necessário para conseguir essa informação pode variar de crônica para crônica, verifique com os ST’s do personagem sobre quem você está querendo obter informações. Qualquer diferença nas regras ou disputas devem ser tratadas conjuntamente pelas equipes de ST’s envolvidas. Personagens Mortos Usar a habilidade Política em personagens mortos pode ser mais difícil, especialmente se tal personagem já estiver morto por um período longo de tempo. Consulte seu storyteller, e o storyteller do personagem morto, se você estiver tentando obter essas informaçoes, Eles vão determinar juntos quais são as habilidades apropriadas. Algumas crônicas podem exigir Camarilla Lore além de Política, se um jogador estiver requeisitando informação muito detalhada. Empréstimos de Status Há duas formas de emprestar Status para outro Membro: # Um Membro pode emprestar um único traço de Status para outro, de forma a mostrar que o favorece ou para aumentar seu poder por um período de tempo. (“Fulana de Tal pode usar o Respeito de meu nome até o nascer do sol de Sexta-feria, 15 de Novembro”). Nota: Esse período de tempo não pode exceeder 1 ano e 1 dia. # Um Membro pode emprestar um traço de Status para outro com um fim específico.(“Sicrana de Tal pode usar o Respeito de meu nome para conseguir uma audiência com o Príncipe de São Paulo”) Para todos os casos de empréstimo de Status: # O Status é retornado a seu dono imediatamente, caso ele o requisite; # O Status só pode ser usado até a data especificada ou até que se complete seu o fim específico; # Se invocado (“Eu sou Fulana de Tal, falando com o Respeito do nome do Ancião Blá”), o Status não pode ser usado novamente para disputas na mesma noite; # Apenas 1 traço de Status pode ser emprestado de cada vez para cada Membro, embora não haja limites para quanto de Status um Membro pode carregar, caso escolha descontar seus favores de muitos Membros para aumentar sua reputação. (Zé Brujah não pode emprestar Querido e Respeitado para Maria Gangrel, mas Maria pode tomar emprestado o Querido de Zé e o Respeitado de Ana Ventrue); # Você não pode emprestar Status emprestado, você só pode emprestar os seus próprios. Você PODE descontar Favores para convencer alguém a emprestar Status para um terceiro que você suporte, mas esse intercâmbio deve ser role-played; # Status não pode ser emprestado permanentemente. Você não pode obrigar outro Membro a prender sua reputação a você indefinidamente; # Emprestar Status não acontece sem riscos. No caso de você emprestar Status para outro Membro e esse membro se envolver em um Escândalo, você pode acabar perdendo permanentemente o traço que você havia emprestado, como punição pelo seu mau julgamento. Isso é especialmente verdadeiro nos casos em de empréstimo de Status para alguém que tenha perdido o Reconhecimento, uma vez que tal Membro já está sob severo escrutínio. Status and Positions A Kindred holding an Office in a Camarilla Domain that carries Positional Status Traits adds those Status Traits to her Permanent Status. These Traits may not be permanently stripped as long as she holds the position, though they may be stripped temporarily. Though it is possible to hold multiple Camarilla positions at once, it should be unusual. In that case, a Kindred may only claim the Status inherent to one of the offices, usually whichever is greater. Positional Status is valid in any Domain that the possessor visits, though their positional authority is confined to the Domain where they hold that position. A Justicar’s power is absolute, globally. Therefore, they may grant or strip Status as they see fit, no matter where the specified Kindred lives. Positional Status for the Camarilla Stations *Justicar: Faultless, Just, Feared, Respected *Alastor: Sanctioned, Feared *Archon: Empowered, Feared *Seneschal: Cherished, Esteemed *Prince: Exalted, Famous, Well-Known *Harpy: Influential *Primogen: Revered *Keeper of Elysium: Honorable *Sheriff: Feared *Scourge: Feared Whips have the same powers as the Primogen in their Primogen’s absence. However, they do not gain the Positional Status Trait. A Primogen will often loan one of his Status to the Whip when he knows in advance he will be out of the Domain. Other Positions Princes or Justicars may choose to add titled positions such as Warlord or Lord Arcanum, but such positions do not carry official Positional Status as do those listed above. Invented positions do not reflect the norm of Camarilla society. While they may carry a customary granting of Status in a Domain or for a project, these invented positions may not take a character over the OWBN Status maximum, and whatever powers they have are part of the Tradition of the Domain and do not necessarily carry any social weight, respect, or benefits outside of it. If the Prince or Justicar wishes the position to raise a character in esteem, he or she may loan Status to the individual, using the rules outlined above. A Harpy's Positional Status Harpies are Influential by position. They are appointed by the Primogen Council, not by the Prince. Upon being selected, a Harpy is shown support with a Loaned Status Trait from each of the Primogen. The Primogen, in turn, list this Trait as loaned out for as long as they support the Harpy. Though these Traits are Loaned Status, they may not be used by the Harpy when comparing Status Traits in a regular (personal) debate. The Harpy can call upon the Traits when performing Harpy business (i.e. stripping Status, mediating a Boon dispute, etc.). Should a Primogen feel that the Harpy is not properly doing her job, they can temporarily, or in extreme cases, permanently remove their support from her. In this situation, the Harpy would not be able to call upon that Primogen’s Status during the course of her business. Therefore, the Harpy should be careful not to incur the wrath of the Primogen Council while in her position: they can take away her position as easily as they gave it to her. There is a fine line between a good Harpy and a power hungry Harpy. The Harpy provides a considerable amount power to the Primogen, and vice versa. It takes a majority of Primogen to name a Harpy. There is never more than one Harpy, though she may select Kindred to assist her as Lesser Harpies, much as a Primogen appoints a Whip. Assistants Harpies, Sheriffs, Scourges, and Keepers of Elysia are allowed to create lesser versions of their positions. These positions are the Lesser Harpy and the Deputy (Scourge, Sheriff, Keeper). In order to appoint a Vampire to this position, the holder of the parent position must loan one of her own Personal Status Traits to the recipient and declare the appointment to the rest of the Domain. There is no such thing as a “Deputy” Seneschal, Prince, Archon, or Justicar. While such characters may have assistants of various kinds, (particularly Justicars, who may have multiple Servires working for them at once), the title “Deputy” is not appropriate. Ghouls Ghouls are considered to be property. They are servants who perform functions that are usually below the station of most Kindred. When a Prince recognizes a ghoul in her Domain, that ghoul becomes Recognized (as per Liber des Goules), which is similar to a Status Trait but only for the purpose of confirming presentation to the Prince. It may not be used in any other manner related to Status, and does not make the ghoul an Acknowledged member of the Camarilla. Some traditional Princes refuse even to allow ghouls to speak at gatherings unless first invited to do so by an Acknowledged Kindred. Ghouls are almost never allowed to speak in public. Killing a ghoul does not normally violate the Tradition of Destruction, unless the Prince has laid down specific instructions to that effect for his Domain. However, because ghouls are valuable property, any Kindred who destroys or poaches someone else’s ghoul may find himself owing sizeable Boons to the original Regnant. Non-Camarilla Clans and Status Kindred who are not members of one of the six Camarilla clans have a difficult time acquiring credibility and political weight within the Camarilla. These members should have an extremely difficult time getting and holding onto Status Traits. Where the Harpies might overlook a slight error or faux pas by a Ventrue, every step out of line that an Acknowledged Ravnos makes should bring a quick and harsh punishment. Caitiff in particular almost never have much Personal Status, and it is rare for a Caitiff to be given a major Office such as Sheriff or Scourge. Kindred who are not Acknowledged members of the Camarilla cannot hold Camarilla Status. Therefore, Camarilla Status cannot be granted to an Independent or to a member of the Sabbat. Granting and Stripping Status Status should always be difficult to gain and easy to lose. All transactions involving Status should be role-played out to the best ability of the players involved. Status and Prestation are deliberately gray areas that invite in-character manipulation and subterfuge. Any Camarilla Kindred may grant a Permanent Status Trait to another Kindred if they are of the same clan and the granter has more than double the Permanent Status of the individual receiving the Status award. This costs the Kindred doing the granting one Temporary Status and the award must be made publicly. This is the only manner in which a Kindred can grant Status to someone who is in another Domain at the time of the award. Some Princes may consider this a Breach of Domain and try to punish the offender in some fashion, usually by attempting to remove a Status Trait. Thus, Kindred choosing to affect the reputations of those outside their Domains are warned to tread carefully. * Visiting – When a Kindred is visiting another Domain (not his home), he is subject to the will and laws of that Prince and the other Officers of the Domain, for good for ill. If he misbehaves or earns the ire of his hosts, he may be punished in any fashion the hosting Officers see fit, within their roles. By the same token, an outstanding visitor may be honored with an award of Status before he leaves. While in general a host’s power over his guests is limited to the duration of the visit, it is neither impossible nor unheard for a Harpy to attempt to strip Status from a visitor after he or she departs for something he did during his visit. For example, if a Harpy discovers that the visiting Kindred was involved in some great Scandal or Crime while in her jurisdiction, she may seek to punish him for it after the fact. It is much more difficult to strip Status after the offender is home again, as the Harpy of that Domain may have his own opinions about the Scandal. In that case, negotiations should be role-played out. The following may grant or strip Status at the cost of one Temporary Status for each action: *Justicars may grant or strip Status to any member of the Camarilla, in any Domain, at any time. If they give more then 5 Status Traits per evening, additional awards will cost the Justicar Permanent Status, so it is rare that many Kindred are honored at once by the same Justicar. *Archons may not grant Status, but they may strip it off of any Kindred that hinders their official missions. *Alastors may not grant Status, but they may remove it from any Kindred that hinders their official missions. *Princes & Seneschals may grant or strip Permanent Status at the cost of one temporary Status for each award or removal. Seneschals may only grant or strip Status in the absence of the Prince. In such a case, which name should be associated with the award (Prince or Seneschal) may be a topic for in-character debate. *Primogen and Whips may award or Strip Permanent Status to a member of their clan at the cost of one Temporary Status Trait for each Status Trait awarded. As with Seneschals, Whips may only act in this manner in the absence of their Primogen. Other Status Removals *Harpies may remove one Permanent Status Trait from any Kindred who has backed out of a Boon or been involved in a Scandal. This removal costs nothing, although there has to be some truth to the Scandal. The Harpy must produce evidence at a gathering of Kindred when the Status Trait is removed. Harpies may restore Status they themselves have stripped at the cost of one Temporary Status Trait per Trait restored. Harpies do not have the power to grant Status. *The Primogen Council may remove one Status Trait from their Prince by collectively expending Permanent Status Traits equal to the Prince’s total Permanent Status Traits. Note: This may require one or more Primogen to expend more than one Permanent Status Trait. Who loses what is a subject for role-play. *Keepers of Elysium may remove a Permanent Status Trait from any Kindred they catch breaking the Masquerade within their own city. This removal costs nothing. Many Princes also permit their Keepers to remove a Permanent Status Trait from any Kindred found to be in violation of Elysium, under the Tradition of Domain. *Sheriffs may remove one Permanent Status Trait from anyone who refuses to accompany them for questioning or judgment while they are within their own city. This removal costs nothing. Some Princes use their Sheriffs for additional duties, under the Tradition of Domain. *Scourges may remove a Permanent Status Trait from any Kindred that is discovered to be harboring or abetting vampires created without the Prince=s permission or who have not gained Hospitality in that Domain. This removal costs nothing. However, a Prince can return the stripped Status should she be find insufficient evidence to back the Scourge's decision or be convinced to counteract it. *Any Kindred of higher Status may remove Permanent Status from Kindred of lower Status at the cost of one Permanent Personal Status Trait per Trait removed. Status may be temporarily removed in the same fashion by expending Temporary Status Traits. This is the only manner in which a Kindred can always remove Status from someone who is in another Domain at the time of the removal. Some Princes may consider this a breach of Domain, so Kindred choosing to exercise this option are warned to tread carefully. Players may not attempt to use Positional Status to enact a Status removal of this type, they must sacrifice one of their character’s own Personal Standing. * A Clan may remove one Status Trait from an elder of the same clan by collectively expending Permanent Status Traits equal to the elder’s Permanent Status Traits. Note: This may require one or more members of that clan to expend more than one Permanent Status Trait. Who loses what is a subject for role-play. Blood Hunts (Lextalionis) A Prince may call a Blood Hunt if an individual in his Domain has committed a great crime (or even just sufficiently roused his ire). A Blood Hunt authorizes all Kindred within a domain to destroy the quarry and forbids them to aid the criminal in any manner. Sometimes a Prince may even order all citizens to actively participate in the hunt. As the name implies, customarily a Blood Hunt includes tacit permission to Diablerize the hunted unless the Prince expressly forbids it. In the Camarilla, the practice of Diablerizing a duly convicted criminal is known as Amaranth, and while it may be permitted under certain circumstances, many Kindred are uncomfortable around those that are known to have destroyed someone in that manner. (For additional information on the gravity and significance of Blood Hunts, please refer to Laws of the Night: Camarilla Guide, pages 106-111) Overturning a Blood Hunt In OWBN, a Prince may recall any Blood Hunt she herself has called, but such wishy-washy behavior represents a Scandal of epic proportions and costs the Prince two of her own Permanent Status Traits. Only the Prince who called the original Hunt may revoke it in this manner. A Prince may not revoke hunts called by her predecessors. The Primogen Council can overturn any Blood Hunt called by their Prince, provided that they collectively expend enough Permanent Status Traits to equal that of the Prince’s total Status (Personal plus Positional). Furthermore, this action must be taken within one month of the Blood Hunt being called. By employing it, the Primogen Council strips two Permanent Status Traits from their Prince and causes him a massive loss of face in front of the entire Camarilla. Note: This may require one or more Primogen to expend more than one Permanent Status Trait. Who loses what is a subject for role-play. A Justicar can overturn any Blood Hunt at his or her discretion. It should be noted that killing the Prince that declares the Blood Hunt does not end the Hunt. Instead, it forces the Hunt to stand until a Justicar reviews and rules upon the case. Status Modifiers Status Modifiers represent the way in which a character’s reputation is influenced by her actions to the point where the perception of those around her is noticeably altered. A character’s own actions may speak loudly enough to impact how others perceive her Status. In some cases the actions of another member of the lineage, usually the Sire, may also come into play. The following section outlines how these Modifiers work in OWBN. Merits & Flaws: The Merits: Prestigious Sire and Reputation act as “phantom” Status Traits. They do not count toward the maximum 6 Personal Status Traits (see OWBN By-Law Section 8: Status Regulation), nor may they be bid or spent in a challenge. The Kindred with either of these Merits is simply perceived as having one higher Status than she actually does, and will gain a bit more respect in social situations. Modifiers do not get logged with the Harpy, nor are they considered to be Personal Status Traits. No Harpy can strip these Merits, but they can be lost through game play should a Kindred fail to keep up her Reputation, or should her Sire fall into disgrace or obscurity (storyteller discretion). By the same token, the Flaws Infamous Sire and Notoriety work the same way, only they lower the perceived reputation of the Kindred rather than raising it. These Flaws may be handed out or bought off through role-play at the discretion of the Storyteller. Prestigious Sire Te Sire is a well known or important Camarilla figure, one whose good reputation helps boost that of the childe. Note: just as it is possible to become Prestigious and well known, it is possible for childer to eclipse their Prestigious Sires, or for the Sire to fall into disfavor, thus removing the Merit. In the event that the Childe character becomes famous in his own right and earns the Reputation Merit, the character’s Storyteller or the Camarilla Coordinator may remove the Prestigious Sire Merit, as it may no longer be appropriate for the character to lean on their Sire’s prestige. This is especially true if the Sire in question is deceased or no longer holding a prestigious position. Unbroken Lineage Some games allow this Merit from the High Clans book. It falls under the same rules as Prestigious Sire and must be approved prior to entering play. This Merit may not be taken simultaneously and stacked with Prestigious Sire. If the chronicle allows this Merit to bestow an actual Status Trait instead of as a normal modifier, the Status gained from this Merit will not take a character over the OWBN Status max. It shall follow the same rules as Positional Status – it may be stripped temporarily, and the Trait will disappear entirely for any length of time that the character is without Acknowledgement if the relevant Kindred has the misfortune to lose his somehow. If the character disgraces his line sufficiently to be rejected, this Merit may be lost through role-play. Infamous Sire The Sire is a notorious or infamous figure in the Camarilla, a diablerist, perhaps, or someone who has committed a crime against the Ivory Tower. The unfortunate childe is tarnished by the misdeeds of his Sire and suffers the stigma of this bad reputation. Prestigious/Infamous Lineage Occasionally a group of related characters with a shared surname becomes so well known that the name itself begins to be more recognizable than any single member. A majority of the members of the lineage must be able to meet the requirements for Reputation or Prestigious Sire on their own merit as individuals before they can be considered as a group. Generally, there will be at least four characters involved, either in a vertical line (Sire, Childe, Grandchilde, Great-Grandchilde), horizontally (Sire, Childe, Broodmate, broodmate), or some combination of both. Other role-play mechanics developed through story (such as adoptions) may be considered. Lineage-related Modifiers (Merits or Flaws) cost and operate exactly the same way as the Sire Modifiers (Merits or Flaws) per this packet and the house rules of whatever game the character is based in. Lineage-related Modifiers must be approved by the Camarilla Coordinator the same way as Sire-related Modifiers. Storytellers are free to ignore the Lineage mechanic, in which case characters claiming the Merit or Flaw under “Lineage” would be considered to have Prestigious or Infamous Sire as appropriate. Note: Lineage does not stack on top of Prestigious or Infamous Sire – it replaces it. This modifier represents an OWBN phenomenon created through the course of org-wide role-play over the last decade and can be gained and lost in exactly the same manner as the Sire-related modifiers. Indeed, in some cases Lineage is more fragile, for the line is so well known that major mistakes from any member can affect all those who carry the name. Reputation A character with the Reputation Merit has done something to get himself or herself known in a positive way through Camarilla circles. They may be known as a Sabbat hunter or great protector of humanity, individual stories may vary. Wherever possible the Reputation Merit should be purchased in-game, in consultation with local STs, the Camarilla Coordinator and the appropriate Clan Coordinator. Often someone very well known in a small area will not be known at all outside the region. If a player is interested in purchasing Reputation through role-play, the Storytellers and appropriate Coordinators should help the player set goals in the pursuit of the desired Merit. Reputations should be role-played out consistently – a character should be constantly reinforcing their Reputations through their actions within the context of the story, and Storytellers should feel free to remove Reputations that are not being supported through role-play. Notoriety As with Reputation, Notoriety can be gained through role-play, though it is always much easier to be reviled than to be celebrated. Characters may gain or lose Notoriety through their actions within story. Just as it is possible to buy off the Flaw through appropriate good behavior in-character, it is very possible to gain it through Scandal or misdeeds. Storytellers should feel free to give out this Flaw where appropriate and simply notify the Camarilla Coordinator of the change and circumstances. The Lasombra Clan Advantage It works the same way as Prestigious Sire or Reputation Merit. “Probationary Sect Member” Flaw This Flaw may be assigned by Storytellers to any character in their chronicle that they feel should carry it, though it is most frequently applied to Kindred that come from a non-Camarilla Clan. It may be bought off through the course of story at the discretion of the Storyteller in accordance with that chronicle’s rules. Schismatic Assamites in OWBN - carry the Flaw “Probationary Sect Member” when they become members of the Camarilla. Any member of that clan shall be subject to the rules of the Flaw of the same title found on page 119 in Laws of the Night: Revised, until they have proven themselves. The Flaw may be bought off through the course of story, at the discretion of the Storyteller. Storytellers are encouraged to consult with the appropriate Genre Coordinator before removing the Probationary Sect Member Flaw. Status Modifier Rules The Camarilla Coordinator must approve all Prestigious or Infamous Sire Merits and Flaws, as well as the related Lineage Merits and Flaws, in order to maintain OWBN continuity. All Reputation and Notoriety Merits must be logged with the Camarilla Coordinator, for the same reason. The Camarilla Coordinator will in turn make the appropriate information available to the OWBN Archivist. Note: it is strongly recommended that the Merit: Reputation not be bought at character creation, but rather through the role-play of the character. No character in OWBN may carry more than two Modifier Merits or Advantages of any kind at any given time. For example, a character may not claim the Lasombra Clan Advantage AND Prestigious Sire AND Reputation at the same time. While there is no corresponding limit on the number of Modifier Flaws that may be carried, common sense should be applied. For example, while a character is technically allowed to be a Probationary Sect Member with an Infamous Sire and a Notoriety Flaw all at once, storytellers and players are urged to bear in mind the possible repercussions of such combinations on the life expectancy and story of the character. You may not take multiple versions of the same Modifier Merit or Flaw to stack the effect. For example, you may not take two Reputation Merits simultaneously, even if your character is known for two different skills. The nature of the reputation (the description) may change slowly over time through the course of story, at the discretion of the storyteller. No individually created (house rule) Modifier may take an OWBN character over any of the OWBN-enforced caps for Status, real or perceived. Storytellers are free to disallow any Merit or Flaw that modifies a character’s Status (real or perceived) in the event that the character signs into their game and is subject to their house rules. Disclosure Status-Modifying Merits and Flaws, (including Probationary Sect Member) should always be included in email posts, players should put a little ooc tag beneath the character’s signature: (OOC: Notoriety Flaw: Caused a big Scandal in Milan) or (IC: Reputation Merit: Legal Expert). They are sometimes represented as a +1 or -1 if the player puts her Status into numeric format. Boons Boons are something like currency among Kindred, and they are taken very seriously. Whenever someone does a favor beyond that individual’s expected duty or station, she is expected to repay the debt. In the event that a Kindred feels that another owes him a Boon for some reason, he may demand a Boon from that Kindred and any negotiations must be settled between the two, usually in consultation with the Harpy. As always, the relative Status of the parties involved plays a major part in who comes out on top. The mechanics of Prestation are deliberately vague so as to allow for maximum Role-Play among the characters involved. Players are encouraged to role-play the machinations and intrigues of Prestation whenever possible. Earning Boons Doing things that are expected of a Kindred will usually not lead to a Boon being bestowed, particularly when that Kindred has some kind of Position like Sheriff or Scourge. The Harpy is charged with the responsibility of adjudicating the worthiness of Boons. Appeasement Boons are often offered or demanded as an apology for a social misstep of some kind. Be aware that it is dangerous to offer someone a Boon, especially to those of lower Status. You never know when or how it might be called in – once the Boon is in the Harpy’s records, there is no way out of paying it off without damaging one’s reputation. Moreover, once the Boon is given, the granter has no say in what will be requested in return, within the limits of the Boon level. Registering Boons Kindred who agree upon a Boon must register it with the Harpy if they want it to be official and enforceable. If they do not inform the Harpy of the existence of the Boon, it is unofficial and there is no guarantee that the Harpy will enforce it, even if a complaint is brought up later. Being in Debt In terms of the Status system, if you owe someone a Boon, they have a hold over you, regardless of how much Status you have personally. It is not wise to throw the weight of your reputation at someone you owe, especially if you owe them something especially serious, such as your life. Trading Once properly registered with the Harpy, Boons may be traded between Kindred, bought and sold or given away at the pleasure of the one who holds the Boon. Such a transfer must be registered with a Harpy in order to be acknowledged, though the reason for the transfer need not be registered. The value of the Boon does not change, all parties have to agree on the value at the outset (p.220 LotN) but one can, in effect, demand that someone pay a Boon to you by service to a third party. Obviously, there is a great deal of room for role-play in such transactions. Adding You cannot add multiple small Boons up and get a Major, Blood, or Life Boon without the agreement of the Kindred doing the owing. The values are established at the time the debt is put on the books, so to speak, and cannot be changed thereafter without everyone involved agreeing to it. Please note however that how the characters convince each other to agree to changes is entirely up to role-play. Vampires are extremely sneaky and crafty, and not generally too interested in being ‘fair’. Dividing Boons are not actual money, and every transaction of Prestation is a complicated give-and-take as characters try to get the most power for the least work. If someone owes you a Major Boon, you cannot arbitrarily decide to break it into several Minor Boons and pass them out to your friends, not without the debtor’s approval and agreement. As stated above, the values are established at the time the debt is put on the books, so to speak, and cannot be changed thereafter without everyone involved agreeing to it. That said, sometimes Boons may be paid back piecemeal or it may be arranged that someone will do several small tasks in order to repay a larger one. Such negotiations are part of the role-play of prestation and should be settled in character. Defaulting If a Kindred defaults on a Boon, she may be stripped of a sizeable portion of her Status, depending on the size of the Boon. A Trivial Boon might only cost her a Temporary reduction, or at worst a loss of one Permanent Status Trait. Defaulting on a Life Boon, however, could knock someone from the pinnacle of the Camarilla social scene right back down to bare Acknowledgement, depending on the temper of the Harpy involved. Furthermore, Kindred who default on Boons will soon begin to get a very negative reputation (Notoriety Flaw) and will find themselves with few who are willing to deal with them at all. Non-Camarilla Kindred have no official onus on them to repay Boons that they may owe, and they have no voice or standing in the Camarilla with which to secure that debt. The Harpy does not care about Independents. Therefore, Camarilla Kindred deal in Boons with non-Camarilla Kindred at their own risk. Levels of Boons *'Trivial Boon' - A small task. One-time favors, unsolicited information, watching over someone for an evening, aiding someone with a common Discipline, supporting someone’s minor political move, helping with a plan, etc., these are all examples of Trivial Boons. *'Minor Boon' - The task performed can last more than one evening and generally requires some sort inconvenience. Examples include: providing needed information of some value, instruction in an unusual Ability, using Influences or Resources to aid another, some types of political support, acting as a bodyguard for multiple nights, facilitating passage through a hostile territory, disposing of a minor threat, helping carry out a plan, important advice, etc. *'Major Boon' - Great expenditure of time or resources, instruction in a Discipline, purchasing a location to serve as someone’s Haven, exchange of controversial or very valuable information, major political maneuvering, helping someone get out of trouble with the Prince, etc. *'Blood Boon' - Examples include: coming to someone’s aid and suffering injury. Being willing to shed blood, saving the life of a Kindred’s immediate kin, instruction in a clan-specific discipline, etc. *'Life Boon' - Saving another from certain death when one’s own life is in peril. Adjustments The listed values of Boons can be adjusted at the time a Boon is given based on the individual characters involved. Regardless of the facts in the case, traditional Camarilla thinking would find a neonate saving an elder’s life to be virtually impossible, as the elder was probably not in as much danger as the neonate thought he was. On the other side of the coin, a powerful elder may pull a neonate from harm’s way with little effort on her part, therein reducing the literal value of a Boon. These complicated adjudications make the job of the Harpy difficult at best, as he is under constant scrutiny to make the choice that pleases the ‘authorities.’. Sorting out the appropriate levels of Boons is a major part of the role-play that surrounds Prestation. The Waiting Game It is technically possible for a character to owe a high level Boon, (Major, Blood, or Life) even if that character has very low Status. They have less social standing to lose, but in many ways that simply makes their position worse, for they may be asked to use Influence or Resources or some other means to secure the debt. Being of low Status in no way gets one off the hook in terms of owing Boons - Camarilla Kindred are patient creatures who are good at coming up with unpleasant consequences for those who do not pay their debts. A canny Elder may hold onto a Boon for century just waiting for the debtor to become useful before demanding repayment. House Rules, Traits & Challenges All interactions wherein Status Traits are factors in a Challenge of any kind fall under the house rules of the chronicle where the interaction is taking place. Storytellers are strongly encouraged to consider and include addressing the following issues in the house rules for their individual chronicles: * Which Modifiers are permitted in the chronicle * Status and Modifiers as they apply to character creation * When Status can be added to other Traits in any Challenge * Mechanics (and penalties, if any) for ignoring Status Traits in any Challenges * What supervision is required for any Challenges (ST, Narrator, Player Consent, etc) * What rules apply for any scene that plays out anywhere other than an official live game with storytellers present, including email scenes and online chat-program interaction. Please remember that while Status and Prestation do not have a direct physical impact on characters, the effects of their use can be just as devastating and far-reaching. Inter-Chronicle Disputes Players and Storytellers are encouraged to remember that in the event of an irreconcilable Status and/or Prestation related dispute, the Camarilla Coordinator is an available resource for resolution of disagreements. Primary Resources * Laws of the Night(Revised) * Minds Eye Theatre Laws of the Night: Camarilla Guide * OWBN Status Packet (original version contributors: Gabriel K. Balmes, Jason Brannen, Amber Kendel, Mike Lehman, Stefanie Moser ) Credits Revisions 2007 by Abigail Graham Special Thanks to: Original contributors, Dawn Sherman, Daniel Karpouzian, Sean Carroll, and many devoted storytellers and players from throughout OWBN. Tradução: Sneaky Bastard Guide to the Camarilla